The rain stopped, and sunlight shone down brightly on Wu County. Leaves and branches were studded with gemlike drops of water. Almost half the governor’s manor had collapsed, but the back gardens and side rooms were intact.
Sun Ce tossed everything related to the cleanup over to Zhu Zhi to handle while he practiced staff techniques in the garden, shirtless. His moves sent red petals scattering across the ground, and as he swished the staff around, petals flew into the air, following every arch.
“Entering Wu County today means you cannot kill a single person,” Zhou Yu said, walking through the corridor and taking a seat on a stone stool in front of the corridor. “Only leaving Yan Baihu alive will make the heroes of Jiangdong come to pledge their allegiance to you.”
Sun Ce didn’t speak; he simply continued his practice.
Zhou Yu continued, “I already helped distribute the money Xu Gong hid among the citizens, on your behalf.”
Sun Ce slung his staff into a resting position. “The money isn’t that important. If I don’t kill even a single person, how will I establish a reputation?”
“Mercy,” Zhou Yu said earnestly, “is the best way.”
“What about my subordinates who died outside the city gates? Do they matter?” Sun Ce asked. “I used anesthetic arrows, but Xu Gong’s subordinates used their blades. Did you tally the casualties?”
“Forty-seven people,” Zhou Yu replied. “For an army of over ten thousand to lose just a few can be counted as a total victory.”
“Yan Baihu and my dad rebelled at the same time,” Sun Ce said. “If this bastard isn’t eliminated now, he will cause trouble in the future.”
“If he wreaks havoc in the future, we must get rid of him then,” Zhou Yu said patiently. “If you wish to be a zhugong, you must invent a way to subdue him. You cannot kill just anyone who seems disagreeable. I know your dad always did, but you…”
Sun Ce put his weapon back and walked away.
Zhou Yu’s head spun, and he rubbed his temples. His shoulder wound was throbbing. He pushed open the door to a room, staggered in, and, without the energy to figure out who it belonged to, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, unable to hold out any longer.
After sleeping for unknown hours, he heard Sun Ce’s voice, as well as a woman’s.
Zhou Yu felt dizzy and disoriented. He wanted to open his eyes and speak to Sun Ce, only to hear him ask, concerned, “Why are you ill?”
“Allow me.” The lady’s voice was warm. After she spoke, the sound of water being wrung from a cloth followed. An icy cold towel was laid across his forehead.
Their footsteps receded into the distance.
Zhou Yu slept a whole day and two nights, and while he dozed, the scent of medicine being stewed outside in the corridor filled his nose. A pair of slender hands supported the back of his neck, helping him sit up and feeding him medicine. In a hazy moment of consciousness, Zhou Yu opened his eyes and looked at his helper, and he thought she looked very familiar.
After that, he went back to sleep.